Report: Nearly 2K Children Abused by Catholic Church

Facts

• An investigation released Tuesday by the Illinois attorney general's office found that nearly 2K children were abused by 451 Catholic clergy members between 1950 and 2019 in the state, more than previously reported.¹
• This adds 149 previously unknown abusers to the lists of perpetrators, most of whom belong to religious orders independent of dioceses.²
• Before the investigation was launched in 2018, Catholic dioceses had only disclosed 103 abusers in the state. Attorney General Kwame Raoul stated it is his hope that the report will provide "public accounting" for survivors of abuse.³
• The report faults all six Illinois dioceses for covering up abuse, undercounting the number of abusers, and failing to support survivors. It also recommends that the dioceses hire a firm to investigate allegations and establish an independent program for victim mediation and compensation.⁴
• A substantial portion of the report is devoted to individual cases, such as that of Daniel McCormack, who pleaded guilty to abusing five boys in 2007 and whom the report describes as "one of the most infamous child abusers anywhere in Illinois."⁵
• Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, apologized to the victims of abuse while stating that it is not "fair or wise" to single out the Catholic Church. Rooting out abuse in the church, the cardinal says, is something he is "personally committed" to.⁵

Sources: ¹Associated Press, ²New York Times, ³The Hill, ⁴Time, and ⁵BBC News.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Guardian. Thousands upon thousands of new victims of abuse come forward every year, first victimized by a depraved priest, and then again by an institution determined to protect abusers. The Catholic Church is in dire need of a transformation to root out abusive priests and those who covered for them. The faithful are forced to grapple with the immense scale and scope of abuse.
• Narrative B, as provided by Catholic League. The Church stands with the victims of sexual violence and has devoted substantial efforts to rectify what has been done. Despite the progress already made, the media hounds one of the few institutions that treat child sexual abuse with such concern. Schools, sports teams, and other well-respected establishments are hotbeds for abuse, with no statistical evidence to support a singling out of the Catholic Church among other institutions.